Hillsdale students need to take a page out of the football team’s playbook. We should make a habit of wearing blue and white school apparel and showing our Hillsdale pride.
The group on campus with the most visible school pride is the football team, and its record last season was 6–6. Nearly everywhere they go, football players wear their team shirts, sweatshirts, and sweatpants. Their choice of apparel signals they are proud to represent our school, as are many other athletes.
For some reason, non-athlete Hillsdale College students do not often wear school merch, with more of them rocking collared shirts or heels than anything Hillsdale-related.
The Princeton Review, which relies largely on student surveys in addition to institutional data, ranked Hillsdale as No. 3 in the nation in the “Their Students Love These Colleges” category, as previously reported by The Collegian. As other college students are protesting and forcing their schools to set more rules, such as what is permissible at graduation, it is remarkable that Hillsdale received high marks in all three categories. If you love this college, show it.
Students at other higher-education institutions, such as the nearby University of Notre Dame, wear their school apparel constantly. A few weeks ago, I visited their campus and was shocked by just how many students sported Notre Dame vests, hoodies, and baseball caps. I stood out because I was not wearing an ND sweatshirt. Hillsdale students are in a similar position of academic rigor and fully understand the commitment of this school when they don a Hillsdale sweatshirt.
Hillsdale students have plenty to be proud of — and the fact that they were admitted to the school is enough. This year’s freshman class was the most competitive class yet, with an acceptance rate of 19.3%. The class of 2026 had a 20.74% acceptance rate, and the class of 2027 had a 20% acceptance rate, The Collegian previously reported.
Hillsdale College is a difficult school, and students had to try in high school to be accepted. Students often quote “the good, the true, and the beautiful” as a reason for choosing Hillsdale, marking its difference from other institutions. Americans born here have patriotism for the homeland they did not choose, so Hillsdale students should show pride for their school, a home they did choose.
Hillsdale College unifies us. All students, not only athletes, should wear Hillsdale-branded attire around campus. If you are willing to have the “Hillsdale College” name on your diploma, you should be happy to have it on your hoodie, polo, or necktie.
Ellie Fromm is a junior studying history.
